


one: shaky hands

by ginger__snapped



Series: Rin's Whumptober 2019 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Shaky Hands, Thats the thing, This is part one, Whumptober 2019, anyway, aye lads we'll see how this shit goes, ig thats important, im a tired gay, please, pls enjoy, this is not starker, validate me, who needs attention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 01:55:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20858312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginger__snapped/pseuds/ginger__snapped
Summary: God, how useless I am. A mechanic who’s hands won’t even work.Tony shivered, his father’s harsh words running through his brain.He was gripping the edge of the table, willing his hands to stop their shaking.





	one: shaky hands

Tony muttered a curse under his breath as the screwdriver clattered to the ground.

“You good, Mr. Stark?” Peter called from across the workshop, where he was lying on the couch doing his homework.

“Yeah,” Tony called, voice coming out more strained than he would have liked.

There was a pause where the only noise was the soft whirring of machines.

“Alright,” Peter finally said, glancing back down at his binder.

Tony exhaled, closing his eyes and trying to stop his hands from shaking.

_God, how useless I am. A mechanic who’s hands won’t even work_.

Tony shivered, his father’s harsh words running through his brain.

He was gripping the edge of the table, willing his hands to stop their shaking.

Tony flinched as soft hands covered his own, his eyes flying open.

Peter was looking at him in that certain way, eyes sad and inquisitors, head tilted slightly to the side.

“Mr. Stark?” he prompted, voice soft.

“It’s nothing, kid.”

He winced at how harsh his voice sounded.

Peter looked hurt.

“How long has this been happening?”

Tony tried to take his hands - which were no longer shaking - from Peter’s grasp, but the boy wouldn’t let go.

“Peter.”

“Tony.”

Tony inhaled sharply. Peter was serious about this. Tony wasn’t getting off free on this one.

He couldn’t meet Peter’s eyes as he said: “Over a year now.”

And then Peter’s arms were wrapped tightly around him, the boy burrowing his face into the crook of Tony’s neck, tucking himself into Tony in a way that, for some reason, made Tony feel safe.

He stood in shock for a moment before wrapping his arms back around Peter, resting his chin on top of his head.

“Have you seen a doctor?” Peter asked, voice muffled by Tony’s shirt.

“No,” Tony said softly. “Bruce isn’t here anymore, and… Helen… I let her go. Figured she didn’t want to work for me anymore. She works for a big company now. She’s well off.”

Peter lifted his head.

“You should call her back.”

Tony shook his head.

“You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?” His voice sounded bitter.

“That thing where you think everyone hates you when they actually don’t.”

“I don’t do that.”

“Now you’re denying.”

Tony sighed. Peter pulled away.

“Mr. Stark,” Peter whispered. “Please talk to me.”

Tony exhaled slowly, staring fixedly at a point just above Peter’s head.

“What do you want me to tell you, Pete? That I’m getting old, I’m becoming useless, and my hands don’t even work properly? What is there to say?”

“Mr. Stark, you are not useless.”

The conviction in Peter’s voice made Tony falter for a moment, his eyes meeting Peter’s. The fierce loyalty and protection raging in his eyes caused tears to come to Tony’s own, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

_Stark men are made of iron._

“Stark men are made of iron,” he said quietly. “And we don’t cry.”

Peter’s nose scrunched up like it did whenever he was upset - something that rarely happened, so Tony felt a rush of guilt as he realized he was the cause of Peter’s distress.

“That’s exactly what toxic masculinity is like,” he said softly. “And that’s not you. That’s your father - the absolute douche.”

Tony cracked a smile, wrapping his arms back around Peter and pulling him in. The two of them rocked back and forth slightly, Tony pressing a soft kiss to the top of Peter’s head.

“You’re not useless, Mr. Stark. You’re, like, one of the most helpful people I know. All you’ve done with Iron Man? And, everything with Stark Industries and going clean and making technology that helps people? Mr. Stark, your hands don’t make you who you are. You do. Everything you do. And trust me, shaky hands aren’t going to stop you from being a good person.”

Tony tightened his grip on Peter, burying his face in the soft curls, the smell of Peter’s apple shampoo filling his nose.

“Thanks, buddy,” he mumbled.

There was a hum in response.

“Alright, I need to breathe, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, voice muffled.

“Do you?” Tony asked teasingly, wiping his face to make sure that he didn’t have any stray tears.

“Yes,” Peter said, frowning as he pulled away.

Tony hummed, picking up the fallen tools and putting them on the desk.

Peter took his hand, (again) and pulled him out of the workshop and into the penthouse, pushing him down on the couch and throwing a blanket over him.

“Peter,” Tony protested, raising an eyebrow when Peter shushed him.

“We are going to watch a movie, Mr. Stark, and you are not going to complain. Now, Star Wars, or… Wait. No. We’re watching John Mulaney.”

**Author's Note:**

> lads, this is part one. buckle up buckaroos, imma try and finish this whole goddamn thing.  
find me on tumblr @marvel-and-the-gays


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